Apparatus for precooling refrigerator cars



March 14, 1933. ,F. E. GREENE 1,901,505

APPARATUS FOR PRECOOLING REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed July 31, 1929- L\ cg I N INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRED E. GREIEZNE, OF ESCALON, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO A. B. HUMIBHREY COMPANY,

OF MAYHE'WS, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA APPARATUS FOR PRECOOLING'REFRIGERATOR CARS Application filed July 31, 1929. Serial No. 382,311.

This invention relates to refrigerator cars and particularly pertains to a method and apparatus for expeditiously reducing the temperature in refrigerator cars subsequent to their being loaded and prior to their being placed in transit.

In my prior application entitled Method and apparatus for preheating refrigerator cars, Ser. No. 141,206, filed October 12, 1926, I have disclosed a method of pre-cooling a refrigerator car. This 'method consists principally in creating an air draft upwardly through the ice bunkers at the ends of the car and distributing the air thus cooled over the contents of the car. The air sinks through the load and returns to the lower end of the bunkers for recirculation. By this method a refrigerator car can be effectively and quickly cooled to a proper low temperature before placing the car in transit.

To practice this method this prior application discloses an apparatus which is arranged within the car. To accommodate the apparatus the load is stacked as is sometimes the practice with a space therein at the center of the car. After positioning the apparatus the doors of the car are closed and the apparatus is placed in operation to create the circulation as above described.

The particular apparatus disclosed in this prior application cannot be used except with difliculty when the entire car is filled with products. Therefore, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a simple and eflicient apparatus which can be mounted at the exterior of the car and is capable of expeditiously reducing the temperature therein.

In carrying out this invention into practice I provide an apparatus which may be removably fitted to one of the door openings in the car and operatively connected to the ice bunkers. This apparatus includes air fans arranged so as to create a circulation from the interior of the car upwardly through the ice bunkers and thence into the car at the center thereof through the load and back to the bunkers. By such circulation a rapid exchange of heat is effected and the car and its contents are rapidly cooled.

One form which the invention may assume isexemplified in the following description and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a standard refrigerator car with parts thereof in section and disclosing my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of the'car showing the mounting of my improved apparatus thereon.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the fan 2 housing.

Fig. 4 is a plan section through the same.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawing, 10 indicates a. refrigerator car of conventional design. This car is formed with side openings 11 upon opposite sides each of which is fitted wih a pair of hinged doors 12.

An ice bunker 14 is formed at each end of the car by means of partitions 15. Air passageways 16 are formed at the top and bottom of the partitions 15 so that air may circulate through the load in the car and through the bunkers to effect an exchange of heat.

Hatchways 17 are formed through the roof of the car over the bunkers. These hatchways are fitted with hinged covers 18.

The present invention is concerned with with pre-cooling the car and its contents in a comparatively short interim between loading the car and placing it in transit.

In the present instance I accomplish this by means of a blower housing 20 which is designed to fit in one door opening 11 in lieu of the door thereof and be temporarily held in place. The housing 20 includes a vertical bafile plate 21 dividing the interior of the housing 20 into an intake chamber 22 and ,a discharge chamber 23. The baflle plate 21 is formed with circular ports 24 arranged within which are fans 25. These fans are driven by motors 26 rigidly fixed to the housing 20. The fans 25 are designed to exhaust the intake chamber 22 and create an air blast through the open chamber 23 into the car to which the housing is fitted.

For the purpose of creating a circulation to operate the to effect a maximum exchange of heat the intake chamber22 of the housing 20 is provided with cylindrical fittings to detachably receive the ends of conduits 27 which may be suitably insulated. The other ends of these conduits 27 are fitted with false hatch covers 28 through which they project. The false hatch covers tightly fit the hatchways at opposite endsof the car as illustrated.

Before loadingthe car a canvas cover 40 is removably secured over the upper openings between the ice bunkers and the loading compartment of the car. A rope 41 is then preferably connected with these covers 40 so that they may be removed after the car is precooled.

The car is then loaded and the bunkers filled with ice. All the car doors are closed with the exception of one and the housing 20 is substituted therefor. The conduits 27 are then connected with the housing and extended one to each end of the car. The false hatch covers 28 at the ends of the conduits are then fitted to the hatchways over the ice bunkers.

The motors 26 are then placed in operation fans 25. These fans will draw the airupwardly through the bunkers and through the conduits 27 and discharge it into the car at the center thereof. The suction, of course, will draw the air through the load and through the lower openings 16 into the bunkers and upwardly throu h the bunkers and back to the fans. Thus, t e air is cooled and distributed through the load in continuous cycles until the proper low temperature has-been reached.

When the temperature in the interior of the car has been reduced to a desired extent the ropes 41 are utilized to remove the covers '40. The false hatch covers and the housing 20 are then removed and the hatchways and the doors are closed. The ordinary circulation induced by thermo-siphonic action may then continue so as to maintain the low temperature.

By means of the apparatus here disclosed a car may be completely filled without interferring with the pre-cooling thereof.

It is obvious that the device here disclosed while of simple nature is capable of expeditiously reducing the temperature of the interior of a refrigerator car.

While I have shown the preferred form' of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in its construction by those'skilled in the-art without departing from the spirit of the invention as define in the appended claims. 7

Having thus describedmy invention, what with lower air passageways between the interior of the car and the bottom of the ice bunkers and upper air passageways between 'the interior of the car and the top of the being capable of creating a continuous c11-' culation of air from the interior of the car upwardly through the ice bunkers and thence into the car through the side opening.

2. In combination with a refrigerator car having a side opening, ice bunkers at opposite ends of the car, said car being formed with lower air passageways between the interior of the car and the bottom of the ice bunkers and upper air passageways between the interior of the car and the top of the bunkers, an air circulating device removably fitting the side opening and forming a closure therefor, air conducting connections between the circulating device and the upper ends of the bunkers, said circulating device including fans arranged to draw air upwardly through the bunkers and ex e1 it into the car through the side opening rom where it passes through the load and returns to the bunkers through the said lower air passageways.

3. In combination with a refrigerator car having an ice bunker at each end and an to be fitted to said opening, air circulating means carried by the housing to blow air through the car and into the ice bunkers and a separateconduit connecting each ice bunker with said housing at the intake side of said air circulating means.

FRED E. GREENE.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat- I cut is:

1. Incombination with a refrigerator car having aside opening, ice bunkers at opposite ends of the car, said car being formed 

